G.F Smith x FranklinTill’s The Colour of Longevity recap
Last spring, I sat in as a panel of experts explored the role color plays in creating timeless design. How to shift from short-term, seasonal colors to colors that outlive trends? As we design for a sustainable future, how can color stand the test of time?
Contributors to the discussion came from different areas of the design and creative industries.
Verònica Fuerte Founder and creative director of Hey, a graphic design and illustration studio in Barcelona
Carol Hopkins Global senior design director for color at Adidas
Dian-Jen Lin Co-founder of the London-based Post Carbon Lab, a design research laboratory that grows sustainable microbial dyes for textile applications
Daniel Olatunji Founder of slow fashion label Monad London
A few takeaways—
As people become more attuned to the consequences of overconsumption on the global climate emergency, future-facing designers and brands are increasingly focusing on more sustainable, long-lasting and circular approaches to production and consumption.
Dian-Jen Lin: We used to ask, Who made my clothes? People are now evolving to, How did my garment get these colors? How were these textiles processed?
If the big guys can’t tell the story of how their product is made, the little guys need to. As consumers, we’ll think twice about getting rid of it—we’ll cherish it more, hold on to it longer. The story adds value.
Carol Hopkins: Take Adidas’ No Dye footwear—tonal white shoes and boots that contain no pigment. “A white shoe in an outdoor space is very controversial, but you have to tell these stories—tell people why there’s no dye in this product. It’s celebrating the beauty of, when you go out on a hike, you bring back the hike with you. That’s a memory; the shoe becomes an artifact of where you’ve just been.”
From a graphic designer’s point of view, Verònica Fuerte explained how we choose color for our clients. We don’t follow trends; we design for longevity—at least five years. It’s about the brand, and we always start in black. We concentrate on idea, concept, shape and then we add color. Adding color at the beginning changes perception.
Digitally, we are bombarded with so many options; people need/want simplicity. Your identity and what you stand for as a business is important now.
Personally in love with AllSaints commitment to natural indigo and plant-based dyes.